The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that state governments can restrict people from openly carrying guns in public, effectively ending a person’s right to bear arms outside of their home.
The court issued an en banc opinion in the case of Young vs. Hawaii over a lawsuit by a Hawaiian resident who argued that the restrictions set by the state on his ability to openly carry a firearm was against the Constitution.
A district court ruled against George Young but a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court then decided in his favor. The latest development came from the full 11-member panel, or en banc.
The appeals court cited what they saw as a longstanding tradition in English and American law that government could prohibit “certain weapons from entering… public spaces as means of providing ‘domestic Tranquility’ and forestalling ‘domestic Violence.”
The dissent opinion criticized the ruling for whittling down the right to bear arms to a “mere inkblot.”
The National Rifle Association issued a tweet vowing to fight against the decision.
BREAKING: The US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit just ruled that THERE IS NO RIGHT TO CARRY – either openly or… https://t.co/DDr4kXObY7
— NRA (@NRA)1616605421.0
“This was not an NRA case but we are exploring all options to rectify this,” the NRA said.
Joseph Greenlee, the director of constitutional studies at the Firearms Police Coalition, criticized the ruling in a statement Wednesday.
“We are very disappointed in the outcome of this case. As the dissent pointed out, the Ninth Circuit has effectively eliminated the word ‘bear’ from the Constitution,” Greenlee said. “Now that tens of millions of Americans have been told, for the first time ever, that they have no right to carry a firearm, it is more important than ever for the Supreme Court to address the issue and define the right to ‘bear arms.'”
Others, like New Jersey state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal praised the decision.
“Today the Ninth Circuit agreed that laws that limit carrying guns in public are constitutional,” Grewal tweeted.
Today the Ninth Circuit agreed that laws that limit carrying guns in public are constitutional. Proud that NJ led a… https://t.co/6x9CqkHjFs
— AG Gurbir Grewal (@AG Gurbir Grewal)1616604474.0
“Proud that NJ led a brief for 10 states in that case, & proud to support firearm safety laws that protect both the public & law enforcement officers,” he added.
Here’s more about the case from 2 years ago:
Federal court of appeals ruled Hawaii’s gun law violates constitutional rights
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